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Landing net handle

Marcus Petch

Senior Member
Looking for a new handle and narrowed it down to the drennan speci lock or the gardner specialist.
Both extending to 3' anyone recommend either or got one
 
Hi men,

Before people moan about a genuine question , have a look on the review pages , and "search" landing net handles on here where you will find lots of threads on the subject .

Hatter
 
Hi Marcus i can only recommend a drennan speci lock ive used it for the last 8yrs and had no problem with it.
 
Must admit I was a bit unsure about the Drennan with all the problems it was/is having but it really is a great bit of kit, just take it easy with the tightening.
 
I've had a Drennan for about the same time as Steve and had no problems,just make sure you clean the locking mechanism from time to time.
 
To a certain extent it depends on the terrain and sort of swims you fish.
I have both the Drennan and Gardner and use the Gardner 99% of the time.
Compared with the Drennan, the Gardner is heavier, larger in diameter, has a no nonsense locking system and cheaper.
Cheers
Bob
 
I looked at the Lone Angler landing net handle when I was at the Barbel Society show and while I could not fault the quality it does weigh a fair bit. As I am a roving angler I went with the Drennan but have noted comments regarding the locking mechanism.
 
I looked at the Lone Angler landing net handle when I was at the Barbel Society show and while I could not fault the quality it does weigh a fair bit. As I am a roving angler I went with the Drennan but have noted comments regarding the locking mechanism.

John, I gather that the two evils that defeat these handles and give them their bad reputation are both avoidable. Those that have had them for years completely trouble free apparently achieve that by avoiding over tightening the locking mechanism and by cleaning any muck/grit out of the thread now and then...end of problem. Worth thinking about if you have one....

Cheers, Dave.
 
My mates Drennan pole packed up and refused to lock the other day when we were out, no problem, i had mine that i use for holding back nettles/reeds or weed trimming etc in my sling (i gave up on it as a landing net pole ages ago)
guess what, that one didn't work either ! Personally i would rather carry something a bit heavier that works than something that is likely to let me down at the wrong moment.
 
I have the Gardner handle and its a nice piece of kit, had no problems with the locking mechanism its a workhorse handle not to big a diameter and not really weighty either.....
 
Drennan
Just clean it once in a while and it works and works and works mine is so reliable its allmost as boring as a what landing net pole thread.
 
The Lone Angler one is, IMO, the best by a country mile. Heavy? Well, yes, if you consider approx. 1lb 10z to be heavy. If so, buy something lighter, maybe one made out of balsa wood or similar! This handle does not weigh that much more than a reel and compared to buckets of hemp, pellets etc. it's weight is negligible. I would be interested to know the weight of the Drennan pole, it must surely be a pound plus. Is an extra 10 oz that big a deal? As Simon says, better the extra (marginal) weight if it has reliability.
 
I bought a second-hand Drennan from BobCo Tackle in Leeds. It wouldn't untwist in the shop, but having read-up prior to seeing it, I took a gamble and it's been wonderful.

As David says, just don't overtighten and keep it clean.
 
A telescopic match handle is designed to take more stick in a month of commercial carp bashing than most river anglers will give it in a season.
It won't let you down.
 
A telescopic match handle is designed to take more stick in a month of commercial carp bashing than most river anglers will give it in a season.
It won't let you down.

And neither will two lengths of aero aluminium tube, one shoved inside the other, with a simple collar and locking screw, but it seems to be beyond the fishing tackle industry to produce one :rolleyes:
 
i`ve a drennen twistlock and you do have to keep it clean inside but if you find it wont lock after cleaning just put one small square of insulation tape on the grey locking bung, it must not cover the any of the 4 grooves that allow it to expand, mine works fine again now but if you phone drennen they will normally send you a new one { locking bung } FOC.
the lone angler pole while it maybe a good handle is like a scaffoleding pole, far to big and clumsey.
 
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